St. Patrick's Day celebrations often feature cabbage, but this year, prices are higher. Osman Kazan, Director of Business Analytics at Tulane University, attributes this to increased production costs and weather conditions. "They increased by 8%, this seems to be speeding up," he said.
Kazan's data analysis indicates a correlation between heat waves and cabbage prices, noting that higher temperatures seem to reduce production. Currently, a sack of cabbage costs between $22-$25, and a head is around $1.75. Despite this, Kazan believes, "We all know the Irishmen, so they will still be handing out cabbage."
Looking ahead, Kazan suggests that trade and tariff wars, alongside global warming, are likely to keep affecting cabbage prices. "Because of the trade war and tariffs war, they are likely to increase. Global warming affecting food prices, particularly cabbage prices, this trend is likely to stay for awhile," he said.
Source: WGNO abc